Chapter 5.1, Problem 7MI

Analyze how genetic diversity in a population of fishes in a stream can help the fishes resist disease.

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The benefit of genetic diversity in a population of fishes in a stream

Introduction:

Biodiversity is a variety of life in an area that is determined by the number of species living in that area. It helps in maintaining a healthy biosphere and provides direct and indirect value to humans. Biodiversity increases the stability of an ecosystem. There are three types of biodiversity: species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity.

Answer to Problem 7MI

The variety of fishes in a population with high genetic diversity increases the chance of survival of some fish during an outbreak of disease, resist disease and reproduce. A population with low level of diversity is less likely to survive and reproduce during an outbreak of a disease.

Explanation of Solution

The variety of genes or inheritable characteristics that are present in a population makes up its genetic diversity. Genetic diversity in a population helps in maintaining different forms of same genes. Diverse forms of a single gene give higher adaptability to the population. These may include resistance to a particular disease, or ability to recover from a disease, or ability to obtain food from a new source. In adverse conditions, some of the genes, which are not expressed generally or are recessive, can get activated and help the species to overcome unfavorable conditions.

Genetic diversity increases the chances of survival of some species of fish in a stream during an outbreak of disease or during adverse conditions.